CBS Closing First Half of TV Season With Strong Momentum

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Network Posts the Largest Margin of Victory in Viewers and Adults 25-54 of Any Network This Season

CBS Moves Into Sole Possession of First Place Among Adults 25-54

Cuts NBC’s Adults 18-49 Advantage in Half

CBS Wins Three of the Last Five Weeks in Viewers, Adults 18-49 and Adults 25-54

Network Also Wins Week in Adults 18-34 For the First Time This Season

CBS Posts Across-the-Board Growth Versus Same Week Last Year

CBS is closing the first half of the TV season with strong ratings momentum, winning the week in viewers by the largest margin of victory by any network this season. CBS moved into sole possession of first place in adults 25-54 with a weekly win that matches this season’s largest margin of victory in that demo.

In just one week, CBS has cut NBC’s adults 18-49 advantage in half. CBS won by +0.8 (3.1/09 vs. 2.3/07), its largest margin of victory this season and now is just -0.2 rating points behind NBC, its closest competitive advantage this season after trailing by -0.4 last week.

CBS (11.91m) won the week in viewers by +4.65m, ahead of second-place NBC’s (7.26m), and placed first in adults 25-54 by +1.2 rating points (4.0/10 vs. 2.8/07). This marks the first time a network has averaged a four rating in adults 25-54 this season.

CBS won the week in all key ratings measures for the third time in the last five weeks, according to Nielsen live plus same day ratings for the week ending Dec. 16.

CBS posted its best weekly adult 18-49 rating of the season. CBS also won the week in adults 18-34 (2.0/06) for the first time this season.

Compared to the same week last year, CBS was up +5% in viewers and adults 25-54, +11% in adults 18-49 and +25% in adults 25-54

CBS had four of the top five and seven of the week’s top 10 broadcasts, led by #2 60 MINUTES with a season-high 19.6 million viewers.

THE BIG BANG THEORY was the week’s top scripted program in adults 18-49 (5.4/17).

For the week in key demographics, CBS was first in adults 25-54 (4.0/10), adults 18-49 (3.1/09) and adults 18-34 (2.0/06). Season-to-date, CBS is first in adults 25-54 (3.8/09) and a solid second in adults 18-49 (2.9/08).

CBS was first in adults 25-54 and adults 18-49 for the third time in five weeks and first in adults 18-34 for the first time this season. Compared to the same week last year, CBS was up +6% in households, +5% in both viewers and adults 25-54, +11% in adults 18-49 and +25% in adults 18-34.

In the Monday to Friday 10:00 PM hour in Week #12, CBS was first in households (6.5/11), viewers (10.05m), adults 25-54 (2.9/07) and adults 18-49 (2.1/06). Season-to-date, CBS is first in households (8.1/14), viewers (12.62m), adults 25-54 (3.7/09) and adults 18-49 (2.7/08) Monday to Friday in the 10:00 PM hour.

CBS Weekly Highlights:

— CBS won Monday for the first time this season, finishing first in households (6.3/10), viewers (10.01m), adults 25-54 (4.0/09), adults 18-49 (3.1/08) and adults 18-34 (2.2/07). CBS posted Monday highs this season in adults 18-49 and adults 18-34, and its second-best deliveries this season in households, viewers and adults 25-54.

HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER was tied for first in adults 18-34 (2.8/09, with NBC), and was second in households (5.5/08), viewers (8.82m), adults 25-54 (3.9/09) and adults 18-49 (3.2/09). HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER posted its second-largest audience of the season. Compared to last week, HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER was up +4% in both households (from 5.3/08) and adults 18-34 (from 2.7/09), +8% in adults 25-54 (from 3.6/09), +3% in adults 18-49 (from 3.1/09) and added +560,000 viewers (from 8.26m, +7%).

HAWAII FIVE-0 was first in households (6.4/10), viewers (9.84m), adults 25-54 (3.3/08) and adults 18-49 (2.5/06). HAWAII FIVE-0 posted season highs in both adults 25-54 and adults 18-49, posted the season’s second-best performance in both households and viewers.

— On Tuesday, CBS was first in households (9.2/15), viewers (14.37m) and adults 25-54 (3.5/08), and was second in adults 18-49 (2.3/06).

NCIS was first in households (11.1/17) and viewers (17.65m), and was second in adults 25-54 (4.3/11, -0.1 behind NBC) and adults 18-49 (2.8/08). NCIS was the night’s #1 program in households and viewers and the night’s #1 scripted program in both adults 25-54 and adults 18-49.

VEGAS won its time slot in households (6.7/11) and viewers (10.33m), and was second in both adults 25-54 (2.3/06), and adults 18-49 (1.5/04). Compared to the last first-run episode (on Nov. 29, 2012), VEGAS was up +10% in households (from 6.1/10), even in adults 25-54 and added +980,000 viewers (from 9.35m, +10%).

— On Wednesday, CBS was first in households (6.6/11), viewers (10.66m), adults 25-54 (3.6/09) and tied for adults 18-49 (2.7/08, with FOX). CBS won Wednesday for the tenth time in 12 weeks, the fifth time in six weeks in adults 25-54 and the third time in four weeks in adults 18-49.

CRIMINAL MINDS was first in households (7.5/12) and viewers (12.01m), and was second in adults 25-54 (3.8/09, -0.1 behind ABC) and adults 18-49 (3.1/08, -0.1 behind ABC). Compared to last week, CRIMINAL MINDS was up +6% in households (from 7.1/11), +3% in adults 18-49 (from 3.0/08), down -3% in adults 25-54 (from 3.9/09) and added +680,000 viewers (from 11.33m, +6%). CRIMINAL MINDS was the night’s #1 program in households and viewers.

— On Thursday, CBS was first in households (8.2/13), viewers (13.23m), adults 25-54 (4.4/11) and adults 18-49 (3.4/09). CBS was first on Thursday in these measures for the fifth time in the last six weeks.

TWO AND A HALF MEN (8:31-9:01 PM) was first in households (8.2/13), viewers (13.34m), adults 25-54 (5.3/13), adults 18-49 (4.1/12) and adults 18-34 (2.9/10). Compared to last week, TWO AND A HALF MEN was up +2% in adults 18-49 (from 4.0/11) and +16% in adults 18-34 (from 2.5/08).

PERSON OF INTEREST (9:01-10:01PM) was first in households (8.7/13), viewers (14.08m), adults 25-54 (4.0/10) and tied for first in adults 18-49 (2.9/08, with ABC). Compared to last week, PERSON OF INTEREST was even in both households and adults 18-49.

— On Friday, from 8:00-10:01 PM, CBS was first in viewers (6.28m), adults 25-54 (2.2/06), adults 18-49 (1.7/06), children 2-11 (3.4/11) and children 6-11 (3.1/10), and was second in households (3.4/06). CBS was aired sustaining news coverage at 10:01 PM.

RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER (R) (S) (8:00-9:01 PM) was first in viewers (6.63m), adults 25-54 (2.4/07), adults 18-49 (1.9/06), children 2-11 (3.4/11) and children 6-11 (2.9/10), and was second in households (3.6/06).

60 MINUTES(7:56-8:36 PM) posted a 12.1/18 with 19.63m viewers, 6.7/15 in adults 25-54 and 4.9/12 in adults 18-49. In the 8:00 PM half-hour, 60 MINUTESwas first in these measures.

SURVIVOR: PHILIPPINES FINALE (S) (8:57-11:04 PM) delivered a 6.8/10 with 11.46m viewers, 4.5/10 in adults 25-54 and 3.2/08 in adults 18-49. In the 9:00-11:00 PM time period, CBS was second in these measures. Compared to the spring finale of SURVIVOR: ONE WORLD (on May 13, 2012), SURVIVOR was up +17% in households (from 5.8/10), +15% in adults 25-54 (from 3.9/09), +10% in adults 18-49 (from 2.9/08) and added +1.12m viewers (from 10.34m, +11%).